In the field of meat cutlery, cutting tools have been adapted to process a variety of meat products. For example, meat processors often employ cutting tools to slicing cylindrical-shaped meat products (e.g., hotdog). Additionally, more advanced cutting tools allow for controlled slicing in order to achieve a superficial incision about the surface of the meat product. Utilizing a cutting tool to incise a superficial incision will partially expose the interior of the meat product, and may enhance both functional and aesthetic properties of the meat product.
One practical consideration associated with these incisions into the meat product is that heat can penetrate the interior more deeply and more quickly. This, in turn, facilitates thoroughly cooking a hotdog and extensively killing bacteria therein. Moreover, it is advantageous to provide evenly spaced angular incisions—that is, spiral, or helix-shaped superficial cuts—such that steam may escape evenly from the hotdog upon application of heat (avoiding bursting), and so that excess fat may be released and drained through the surface of the hotdog. In addition to the practical considerations, angular incisions promote the aesthetic presentation of a hotdog. For instance, the textured surface formed by the spiral incision may help retain garnish, hold various toppings on the hotdog, and prevent the hotdog from sliding awkwardly on a bun or a serving utensil. As such, an enhanced appearance, presentation, and flavor is achieved.
Cutting tools exist that allow for manually forming a spiral incision. These manual cutting tools are unable to consistently achieve a precise superficial incision at a uniform depth and pitch along the length of the incision into the meat product. In addition, the present methods of utilizing the manual cutting tools are complex—such that operation of these tools is so labor-intensive as to preclude high volume production.
The present invention generally pertains to mechanically forming a spiral incision on a cylindrical-shaped meat product such as a hotdog, sausage, pepperoni, or any other suitable oblong sliceable meat. Significantly, the mechanism is adapted to high volume processing while maintaining a constant pitch of the spiral incision and an invariant depth of the incision into the interior of the meat product. Further, the invention provides a mechanized spiral slicer with a simplistic design that is configured for rapid disassembly promoting maintenance and cleaning of the cutting tool.